Court Orders Final Forfeiture of 48 Properties Worth N212bn Linked to Ex-AGF Malami
By Zagazola Makama
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 48 out of 57 properties valued at about ₦212 billion and linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The order was granted by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which sought the permanent forfeiture of the assets after an earlier interim forfeiture order.
The judge dismissed objections filed by Malami, members of his family and several companies laying claim to the properties, holding that the objections lacked merit.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the central issue before the court was not the ownership of the properties but the legitimacy of the funds allegedly used in acquiring them.
“The issue before this court is not who owns the property, but how legitimate are the funds used to acquire the properties,” the judge ruled.
The forfeited assets are spread across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states and comprise luxury hotels, residential estates, duplexes, commercial plazas, warehouses, schools, factories, filling stations and other high-value investments.
Among the major assets affected by the ruling are the Meethaq Hotels in Maitama and Jabi, Abuja; Rayhaan University permanent, temporary and third campuses in Kebbi State; Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory; Azbir Hotel and Arena; Rayhaan Model Academy; Rayhaan Primary and Secondary School; Zeennoor Hotel in Kano; Rayhaan Hotel, Kano; as well as numerous residential and commercial properties in Abuja, Kano, Kebbi and Kaduna.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of several high-value residential properties in Abuja, including luxury duplexes in Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Wuse II, Gwarimpa and Apo Legislative Quarters.
Other assets affected include warehouses, shopping units, commercial plazas, a printing press, pharmacy and supermarket, mosque, gardens, radio station, filling station, factory buildings and staff quarters.
Several properties associated with members of the former Attorney-General’s family, including residential buildings allegedly linked to his two sons in Birnin Kebbi, were also listed among the assets affected by the forfeiture order.
According to court documents, the properties had initially been placed under interim forfeiture by the EFCC pending the determination of the substantive application.
The anti-graft agency had argued that the assets were suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities and therefore liable to forfeiture under relevant provisions of the law.
With Wednesday’s ruling, 48 of the 57 properties are to be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
The ruling represents one of the largest single asset forfeiture decisions in Nigeria’s history in terms of the number and estimated value of the properties involved.
There was no immediate reaction from Malami or his legal team following the court’s decision.
